Huge blow for Prince William and Prince Harry as they’re hit by heartbreaking loss

0The royal brothers will be united in grief after receiving some upsetting news (Image: Getty)Prince William and Prince Harry have been dealt a heartbreaking blow following the death of their beloved childhood nanny, Jessie Webb. Although the estranged brothers remain locked in a bitter feud and are understood to no longer be on speaking terms, both are sure to be mourning the loss of the loyal aide who played a pivotal role in their upbringing. Ms Webb took on her royal duties when William was around seven years old and Harry four, quickly becoming a cherished and trusted figure in the young princes' lives. The Prince of Wales, in particular, maintained a close bond with his former carer over the decades. Ms Webb was invited to celebrate his 21st birthday party and was also among the guests at his 2011 wedding to Catherine, now the Princess of Wales.

Her loyalty to the future King was underlined in 2013 when, at the age of 71, she came out of retirement to help William and Catherine care for their newborn son, Prince George. Ms Webb was on hand to support the new parents at their home in Anglesey and was photographed out and about with the then-Duchess of Cambridge and the young royal.

Before her retirement to an apartment in Kennington, south London, Ms Webb's final royal post had been looking after Viscount Linley's two children, Patrick and Margarita. Such was the Royal Family's enduring affection for her that she attended Prince George's christening in October 2013 and was also invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in May 2018.

Royal commentator Robert Jobson, who broke the news of her passing, paid tribute to Ms Webb as a "cheerful lady with a big heart and plenty of common sense", adding that the young princes had adored her. "She was never afraid to speak her mind. If Charles got the boys overexcited before bedtime, she would advise against it," he wrote.

A palace courtier also previously told the royal author: "Everyone likes her. She was kind, loyal and discreet. She was a lovely lady." Prince William has already been informed of the sad news, according to Mr Jobson.

The sad loss comes nearly three months after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK to set up home, though they are yet to reunite in person with senior members of the Firm, including King Charles. The couple and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, last saw the monarch at Highgrove House in July. Prince William, meanwhile, is understood to have no desire to heal the rift with his younger brother.

Speaking in a recent on-camera interview with GQ, Harry addressed the ongoing estrangement and insisted he wanted to mend fences, claiming "some people don't want it to work out": "I want it to work out […] Of course I do. With everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile – that's the key point."

Harry also suggested that while "scars stick around forever", people should focus on "letting go of the past".

However, his remarks drew sharp criticism for failing to take accountability for his own role in the royal fallout, including explosive claims made in his Oprah Winfrey interview, his Netflix docuseries, and his 2023 tell-all memoir, Spare.

Royal correspondent Emily Nash noted that while Harry spoke of grieving the breakdown of his family ties and wanting to draw a line under the last six years, there was "no sort of acknowledgement of all the things that have been said and done" that had deeply hurt his relatives.